We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Keri Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Keri below.

Keri, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I first realized I wanted to pursue art as a profession when choosing a major in college. I never really thought about making a living from my paintings until I realized I was more passionate about it than other career paths and I believed I could do it. One semester I even changed my major to nursing and quickly went back to art, because I realized that if I was going to dedicate that much time and energy toward something I really needed to love it.

Keri, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I became a visual artist, following in the steps of my maternal grandmother and my mom. I was always creative, and at one point during my childhood, I went to stay with my grandmother for part of a summer in Alabama. I was probably around 10 years of age. She had me paint a landscape, and it turned out really well. She encouraged me and said I should work on painting every day. I didn’t do that (wish I had! ☺️), but it gave me the confidence I needed to move forward. My parents have always been very supportive in it as well, as they are both musicians, so they understand the creative type.

In high school and my early college years, I was really just trying to learn the basics of art, but I quickly knew I wanted to paint abstract. I would just imagine paintings I wanted to create and how I’d want them to look on someone’s wall. I started studying abstract artists and learning to find my own voice.

Much of my art consists of the emotions we all feel. I battle pretty severe anxiety, but am learning how to find peace and beauty in the midst of it, and how to heal. So I think my work really expresses that. A lot of my clients have said that they think my art is peaceful, and that truly means a lot to me! If I can bring that into someone’s home, that makes me extremely happy.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Sure! When I was in college I was battling health issues that were ultimately surrounding the anxiety. I didn’t understand that was what was causing it, and I wasn’t in therapy or anything. I ended up having to do, I believe, 3 medical withdrawals. So, 3 different semesters I had to stop and start over. It felt rather defeating afterward, but my dad would encourage me to not give up, so I didn’t. And I’m so grateful for that advice. It ended up making me even that much more grateful I finished!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Go see art, but especially your local galleries and universities to support emerging artists! Buy what you can. You can give art as gifts, and if the originals are priced too high, inquire about prints or something smaller. Find artists on social media that move you, and encourage them, share their work, and buy what you can. You have no idea what it means! It’s our livelihood or side job, but can help them get to working more, and it’s just so encouraging.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @keribrownart
• Facebook: Keri Brown Art
• Other: Threads: keribrownart